South Africa, Egypt and Morocco account for the African hospitals featured in the top 100 of Brand Finance’s 2026 global ranking of academic medical centres (AMC) brands, with Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town emerging as the continent’s highest-ranked institution at 25th worldwide.
- South Africa, Egypt, and Morocco are the only African countries with hospitals in Brand Finance’s 2026 global top 100 academic medical centres.
- Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town is Africa’s highest-ranked institution, rising to 25th in the world with a brand-strength score of 74.1.
- The ranking emphasizes the integration of patient care, research, and education, highlighting African hospitals’ growing ties with major international institutions.
- Globally, Johns Hopkins Medicine remains the strongest brand, with North America accounting for 29 of the top 100.
The ranking evaluates academic medical centres across three pillars: patient treatment, medical research, and education and training.
Its fourth annual research programme assesses how hospitals are perceived by doctors, surgeons and other healthcare professionals, focusing on institutions that combine clinical services with research and medical training.
South Africa's Groote Schuur Hospital improved one place from 26th in 2025, recording a brand-strength score of 74.1 out of 100, compared with 73.8 a year earlier. Egypt’s Qasr El Eyni Hospital followed at 27th, while the Faculty of Medicine at Ain Shams University ranked 43rd globally.
Six African institutions feature in the global top 100
South Africa has two entries in the global top 100, led by Groote Schuur Hospital at 25th, followed by Egypt’s Qasr El Eyni Hospital at 27th. Morocco’s Mohammed VI University Hospital Center ranks 56th.
Year-on-year, Tygerberg Hospital climbed from 76th to 63rd, while Mohammed VI University Hospital Center dropped from 37th to 56th. Groote Schuur rose one place to 25th, while Qasr El Eyni, Ain Shams University’s Faculty of Medicine and CHU Ibn Rochd all slipped.
Brand Finance also identifies Groote Schuur as the world’s leading academic medical centre for teaching, while Tygerberg earned a perfect score for integrating teaching, research and patient care.
African academic medical centres ranked 101–250
The 101–250 range features a broader group of African academic medical centres, with Nigeria, Morocco and South Africa among the countries represented. Nigeria has six institutions on the supplied list, including Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Lagos State University Teaching Hospital and University College Hospital, Ibadan.
LUTH ranks 108th globally, climbing 12 places, and is recognised for its reputation in medical education and training. The hospital has also been modernising its facilities and expanding specialist services, including the opening of Nigeria’s first purpose-built dermatology centre in 2025.
Morocco contributes three institutions, while South Africa has two: Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital and Pretoria Academic Hospital, also known as Steve Biko Hospital.
The additional institutions identified in the 101–250 range include:
- Egypt - Al Azhar University Hospitals, including Al Hussein Hospital and Sayed Galal Hospital; Alexandria University Hospitals
- Morocco - Centre Hospitalier et Universitaire Hassan II, Fez; Centre Hospitalier Ibn Sina, Rabat; Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Ibn Rochd, Casablanca; Ibn Tofail University Hospital
- Nigeria - Lagos State University Teaching Hospital; Lagos University Teaching Hospital; University College Hospital, Ibadan; University of Benin Teaching Hospital; University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital; University of Uyo Teaching Hospital
- South Africa - Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital; Steve Biko Academic Hospital, formerly Pretoria Academic Hospital
The findings highlight the role of African teaching hospitals in combining patient care, research and medical education, while international partnerships with institutions such as King’s College London and Duke University are helping build clinical and research capacity across the continent.
Globally, Johns Hopkins Medicine retained its position as the world’s strongest academic medical centre brand for the second consecutive year, followed by Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Singapore General Hospital also entered the global top 10.
North America accounted for 29 of the world’s top 100 institutions, while University Health Network, Charité and South Africa’s Groote Schuur Hospital led globally in patient care, research and teaching, respectively, according to Brand Finance’s 2026 study.